Become a Part of the NIKE, Inc. Team
NIKE, Inc. does more than outfit the world’s best athletes. It is a place to explore potential, obliterate boundaries and push out the edges of what can be. The company looks for people who can grow, think, dream and create. Its culture thrives by embracing diversity and rewarding imagination. The brand seeks achievers, leaders and visionaries. At NIKE, Inc. it’s about each person bringing skills and passion to a challenging and constantly evolving game.
WHO YOU’LL WORK WITH
This role sits within Nike’s Category Engineering team—a collective of developers, engineers and innovators obsessed with raising the bar of footwear product excellence. The Lead Engineer reports into Category leadership, partners closely with Design, Marketing, Product Creation and Innovation teams, and collaborates daily with both onshore and offshore engineering partners to bring bold ideas to life.
WHO WE ARE LOOKING FOR
Nike is looking for a Senior Footwear Product Engineer who thrives at the intersection of creativity and precision. This person transforms concepts into commercially successful products, driving footwear from idea to manufacturing with an unwavering focus on quality, cost, performance, and craft. They think holistically, understanding how materials, construction methods, tooling, manufacturing processes, and athlete needs come together to create exceptional product.
The ideal candidate brings a strong engineering point of view, uses data to inform decisions, and confidently navigates trade-offs to move teams forward. They excel in ambiguous environments, solving complex challenges with clarity, curiosity, and speed. A natural collaborator, they build strong relationships across functions, geographies, and external partners while influencing decisions that elevate product quality, consistency, and innovation. They are passionate about continuous improvement and committed to delivering scalable engineering solutions that bring design intent to life.
- 3–4+ years of experience in footwear engineering, product development, or a related field
- Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Product Creation, or related field. Will accept any suitable combination of education, experience and training
- Experience with footwear construction, materials, tooling, and manufacturing processes preferred
- Proficiency with technical drawings, 2D/3D CAD tools, and digital product creation systems preferred
- Demonstrated ability to influence cross-functional teams and manufacturing partners through product creation and commercialization
WHAT YOU’LL WORK ON
You will drive product excellence from concept through commercialization, combining athlete insights, engineering expertise, and craftsmanship to create innovative footwear at scale. Working across global teams and manufacturing partners, you'll solve complex challenges, improve processes, and ensure products deliver against performance, quality, and cost expectations.
- Review physical prototypes, technical packages, digital drawings, and 3D files across development milestones to ensure product accuracy, quality, and manufacturability
- Partner closely with Design, Product Management, and Development teams to refine constructions, materials, and engineering standards
- Collaborate with Product Creation Centers, the Program Management Office (PMO), and manufacturing partners to align execution strategies and engineering best practices
- Translate consumer insights and design intent into scalable engineering solutions that can be successfully manufactured across regions
- Support costing initiatives by identifying efficiencies that improve value without compromising quality, performance, or craftsmanship
- Lead engineering decisions throughout the product lifecycle, balancing technical requirements, business needs, and consumer expectations
- Help establish and evolve engineering best practices that elevate footwear quality, consistency, and product creation excellence across categories and geographies
We offer a number of accommodations to complete our interview process including screen readers, sign language interpreters, accessible and single location for in-person interviews, closed captioning, and other reasonable modifications as needed. If you discover, as you navigate our application process, that you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please complete the Candidate Accommodation Request Form.
OUR HIRING GAME PLAN
01 Apply
Our teams are made up of diverse skillsets, knowledge bases, inputs, ideas and backgrounds. We want you to find your fit – review job descriptions, departments and teams to discover the role for you.
02 Meet a Recruiter or Take an Assessment
If selected for a corporate role, a recruiter will reach out to start your interview process and be your main contact throughout the process. For retail roles, you’ll complete an interactive assessment that includes a chat and quizzes and takes about 10-20 minutes to complete. No matter the role, we want to learn about you – the whole you – so don’t shy away from how you approach world-class service and what makes you unique.
03 Interview
Go into this stage confident by doing your research, understanding what we are looking for and being prepared for questions that are set up to learn more about you, and your background.
